Bottle carrier



Dec. 28, 1948. M. s. HALL ETAL BOTTLE CARRIER 2 Shun-Shut 1 Filed Nov. 9. 1945 a. aaux nu Sa a li a a INVHVTORS 00146. 7701/ 00208 )Wu'ban,

Arman-Ya Dec; 28, 1948. M. s. HALL ETAL 2,457,303

BOTTLE CARRIER FilOd NOV. 9. 1945 2 Shoots-Shut 2 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 BOTTLE CARRIER Maynard G. Hall, Rutherford, and Thomas Hurban, Jr., Hasbrouck Heights, N. 1., assignors to Empire Box Corporation,

poratlon of Delaware Garfield, N. J., a cor- Application November 9, 1945, Serial No. 627,680 4 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) This invention relates to bottle carriers and particularly to bottle carriers that are fabricated in a collapsible form from material such as cardboard.

Bottle carriers of the general character to which this invention relates have heretofore been made from material such as cardboard so as to ail'ord an upstanding handle section adapted to be grasped by the user and having a pair of bottle receiving sections on opposite sides of the handle into which bottles may be inserted in a downward direction so as to rest upon a bottom wall that is associated with the bottle receiving sections by means of downwardly extended side walls that embrace the outer sides of the bottles. According to the most usual practice in the art, such bottle carriers are arranged to accommodate two rows of three bottles each, the two rows being disposed in symmetrical relation on opposite sides of the handle section. In the use of such carriers it is usually considered to be essential that the parts be so formed and arranged that the loaded carriers may be placed in the usual cases in which the particular kind of bottles are usually handled, and it is also important that the carriers be so constructed that such carriers may be stacked one upon the other, thereby to enable the loaded carriers to be economically stacked and stored. For these reasons it is important that the handle section be so arranged that it may be depressed to a positon beneath the tops of the bottles when the carriers are to be stacked one upon the other.

In our co-pending application, Serial- No. 604,654, filed July 12, 1945, we have disclosed a bottle carrier that is so constructed and arranged as to enable the weight of the bottles in a, bottle carrier to be transmitted directly from the central portion of the bottom wall to the handle section in such a manner that the handle section may eadily be depressed when the user desires to stack one bottle carrier upon another, and by the arrangement thus afforded, the use of relatively thin and light weight separating webs in the bottle receiving sections of a bottle carrier is rendered practical.

In the attainment of relatively small dimensions in a. bottle carrier so as to enable the carrier to be disposed in the usual cases in which the bottles are transported, the width of the bottle carrier, that is the dimension parallel to the two rows of bottles, is quite important and must be only slightly more than the combined diameters of the three bottles in a row, and in attaining this result, it is customary to make the webs that 2 separate the bottles so as to be quite thin, and in respect to the two webs that are disposed on cation of Joseph L. Lyons, Serial No. 301,915, filed October 30, 1939, now abandoned, or patent to Joseph L. Lyons, No. 2,432,481 filed February 7, 1942. As to the end webs of each bottle receivadded width in the blanks from which the carriers are made, and to enable such reenforcing flanges or flaps to be eliminated while still maintaining the desired smallness of dimension of the carrier that is a still further object of the present invention. Other and related objects are to form the end webs of the bottle receiving sections of a bottle carrier in ch a way that these webs assume an angular pos. .on when the bottles are in position, to so form such end webs of the bottle receiving sections that although they are disposed in such generally angular position, these webs may bend readily and easily as an incident to the movements required when the handle section is depressed or elevated, and to so form such end webs that loading of the end bottles in the carrier is facilitated.

When the material is cut and formed to afiord bottle receiving openings in the bottle receiving sections of the carrier, a portion of the material is utilized in forming the bottle separating flaps joined to and forming part of the webs of the bottle receiving sections, while other portions of the material is left in a connected and unscored relationship with respect to the handle section so as to thereby aiford downwardly projecting bottle cushioning flaps disposed between the rows of bottles in the carrier; and a further object is to enable such material to be so distributed in forming the bottle cushioning flaps and bottle separating flaps that maximum efllciency and efiectiveness of bottle cushioning separating is attained by such flaps.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims as illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustratration. show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of stantially along the line the invention embodying the same or eq alent principle may he used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle carrier embodying the features of the invention, the carrier being shown in its iully erected position;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one face of a blank that is utilized in constructing the bottle carrier of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one side face or the carrier of Fig. 1 when the carrier is in its collapsed condition:

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the collapsed carrier shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the carrier with the bottles loaded therein;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the loaded carrier;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 and showing the parts in the positions which they assume when the handle section is depressed for purposes stackin Fig. 8 is a fragmental sectional view taken subl-B oi Fig.

Fig. 9 is a iragmental perspective view showing the relationship of the weight transmitting elements when the handle section is in the upper or carrying position shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 and showing the positions of the weight transmitting elements when the handle section is depressed to the position shown in Fig. '1;

Fig. 11 is a fragmental plan view of one of the end webs in its horizontal position assumed during erection of the carrier; and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 and showing the and web in its vertical relation that it assumes as a bottle is put in position.

In the form chosen for disclosure herein the invention is embodied in a bottle carrier 28 that is in most respects similar to the bottle carrier shown in our aioresaid copending application. and this carrier. in the erected form shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, comprises an upstanding handie section 2|, a pair of generally horizontal botthe receiving sections 22A and 22B extended outwardly from opposite sides of the lower ends of the handle section, side wall sections 28A and 23B extended downwardly (mm the outer side edges of the respective bottle receiving sections. and a pair of connected bottom wall panels or sections 24A and 24B extended between and connected to the lower edges of the side walls. The carrier 20 is particularly adapted to contain six bottles B arranged in two rows of three bottles each, one row being disposed in the bottle receiving section on each side of the handle section 2|.

The bottle carrier II of the present invention is formed from a material such as cardboard, and in the production of the carrier, the cardboard stock is initially formed as an elongated rectangular blank that is shown in detail in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The elongated blank has a glue flap 25 formed along one end thereof so as to be joined along a fold line 28 to the edge or a panel IIB that in the finished carton will form a part of the handle section 2|. At its other end the blank is formed to aiford a panel 2 IA that will form the other side of the handle section 2| in the finished carton. and intermediate the panels 2 IA and 2 IB, the parts that are to form the bottle receiving 4 sections 22A and 223, the side wall sections "A and 28B and the bottom panels A and 24B are disposed. Thus the bottle receiving section 22A is joined to the adjacent edge of the panel A along a discontinuous fold line 21A, while the other edge or the bottle receiving section 22A is joined to one edge of the side wall section 21A along a discontinuous fold line 28A. The other or lower edge 0! the side wall section 23A is joined to one edge of the bottom panel 24A along a fold line 29A, while the other edge of the bottom panel A is joined to one edge or the other bottom panel 243 along a fold line 30 that is located midway between the fold line 28 and the opposite end of the blank.

The corresponding elements of the other side of the carrier 20 are, in the blank of Fig. 2, similarly joined together along fold lines as hereinabove described. Thus the bottle receiving section 223 is joined along its opposite edges to the panel 2IB and the side wall section 233 along discontinuous told lines 213 and 283 respectively, while the other or lower edge of the side wall section 23B is connected to the outer or other edge of the bottom panel B along a fold line "B.

It has been pointed out hereinabove that each of the bottle receiving sections A and 22B is adapted to receive a row of three bottles B, and each such bottle receiving section is therefore provided with three bottle receiving openings which, in the bottle receiving section A, are indicated as 35M, "A2, and A3. In forming or defining these three bottle receiving openings, each bottle receiving section is arranged to afford a pair of end webs 33 which define the outer end edges of the bottle receiving openings AI and SEAS, while a pair of webs 31 are provided in spaced relation to each other and with respect to the end webs 36 so as to thereby define the inner edges of the end openings 35AI and A3 and the webs 31 also define the opposite side edges oi the central opening 35:12.

The webs 31 of the bottle receiving sections are in the present case formed substantially in the manner disclosed in the aforesaid patent to Lyons No. 2,432,481, filed February '7, 1942, thereby to render these webs relatively thin when they are in their operative condition shown in Fig. 1. Thus as will be evident in the blank illustrated in Fig. 2, the central opening A2 is formed by a pair of angularly positioned slits 38 extended from spaced portions of the fold line 21A in converging relationship, such slits 38 being arranged at their remote ends so as to meet not only with the portions of the fold line 27A but also with parallel fold lines 38 that are disposed perpendicular to the fold line 21A. The two angular slits 38 are arranged respectively so as to meet a pair of spaced parallel slits 40 which are, in turn, arranged parallel to the fold lines 39 and the slits l0 and the fold lines 39 are extended so as to meet a slit ll that is formed on the fold line "A so as to extend between the two fold lines 39. The material between the fold line 39 and the slits 3B and MI is utilized to form a pair or bottle spacing flaps 42 that are joined to the respective webs 31 along the fold lines 39. Thus the slits 3B, 40 and M cooperate to form a generally rectangular nap A! that is disposed in Fig. 2 between the two flaps. l2, and the flap 45M is joined iri an unbroken or uncreased relationship along one of its sides to the panel 2 IA. This relationship is such that in the erected carrier, the flap 45A! remains in the plane oi the panel 2IA so as to serve as a downwardly bottle cushioning flap disposed between the central bottles of the two rows.

While the flaps 42 that are thus aflorded on the webs 37 will have a bottle separating and cushioning action when the carrier is loaded, the webs 31 are also provided with additional flaps 48 formed so as to be connected along the score lines 39 with the triangular sections of material that connect the webs 31 to the handle section HA and the side wall section 23A. Thus a pair of angular slits 49 and 50 are extended in a diverging relation from each score line 39 and in opposite directions therefrom, and the slits l9 and F" are arranged to meet the score lines 28A and 21A respectively in outwardly spaced relation with respect to the score lines 3!. The slits l3 and 50 are connected by slits having curved end portions 52 that merge into the slits l3 and 50, the slits 5| being spaced outwardly from the score lines 39. Hence the slits I9, 50, 5| and 52 cooperate in defining the flaps 48 connected to the webs 31 along the fold lines 39 and which in the erected carrier serve as depending bottle cushioning flaps disposed on opposite sides of the central bottle B.

The slits 50, 5|, 52 and 49 also serve to define one side edge of a pair of bottle separating flaps 45Al and 45A3 that are formed from the materiai that is cut away in forming the bottle receiving openings A! and 35A3 respectively. These bottle separating flaps M and I5A3 are joined along their upper edges to the panel 2|A in an unscored relationship, and the lower edges of these flaps are defined by slits 52 that are formed on or constitute outward continuations oi the fold line 28A. The of the naps 45A| and 45A3 is defined by angularly related slits 53, 53' and 53" that are extended from the slit 52 in an outwardly, then upwardly, and then in an inwardly direction so as to meet or merge with a slit SI that is disposed parallel to the fold line 39 and is spaced inwardly from the side edge of the blank. The slit 54 is extended somewhat beyond the line 01' the score line 21A and is then extended to the adjacent edge of the blank by an arcuate slit 55 and a short straight slit 56 that is parallel to the fold or score line 21A, thus to afford material for the formation of the end webs 35 as will hereinafter be described in detail. of the slits 53 are extended downwardly and inwardly so as to meet with the outer ends of slits 51, the inner ends of which are extended to the juncture of the adjacent slits 49 and 52. This results in the formation of an opening 58 adjacent the lower end of each of the tabs 45Al and 45A3, as will be evident in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The relatively narrow end webs 36 that are thus defined by the slits 53, 53', 53", 54, 55 and 56 are so formed and arranged that they will invariably assume a predetermined relation with respect to the bottles B as such bottles are loaded in the carrier and are also arranged so that they may be readily bent with relation to the side wall sections 23A and 233 when the handle section is moved up and down between its elevated position of Fig. 6 and its depressed or lowered position of Fig. 7. In accomplishing this the webs 36 are provided with a plurality of angularly related score lines that connect the webs 36 to the side wall section 23A in such a manner as to enable such bending of the webs as will hereinafter become apparent. Thus the score line 55 is extended in an angular direction and as a continuation of the slit 53" so that the other or outer sides of each The lower ends score line 59 meets the adjacent side edge of the blank at a point that is aligned with the score line 28A, and from the outer end of the score line 59, a score line 66 is extended inwardly at an angle of substantially 70 with respect to the side edge of the blank so as to meet the slit 53 at substantially the point at which the slit 53 meets the adjacent one of the slits 51. A

Thus the end webs 36 are connected to the side wall sections 23 at the outer ends of such webs so as to enable tilting of such webs from the horizontal relationship of Fig. 11 to the vertical position of Figs. 1 and 12, and this connection is such that these webs 36 may be pivoted downwardly at their inner ends to positions corresponding with the dotted line positions of the webs 31 as shown in Fig. 7 in the event that forces are applied thereto in the course of deprcssion of the handle section 2|. Under the present invention, however, the webs 36 are separate or independent from the handle section II, thereby to simplify and facilitate insertion or loading of bottles B into the end openings of the carrier, and this is accomplished by securing the ends of the adjacent end webs 36 together. Thus as disclosed herein, the ends of the webs 36 that are defined by the slits 55 and 55 are utilized to afford connecting flaps 5|, there being score lines 62 formed across the webs 36 parallel to the score line 21A. The score line 52 is spaced slightly toward the score line 28A, as will be evident in Figs. 2 and 3, for by this arrangement the total length of the two connected webs 36 may be controlled, and this serves to govern the snugness with which such webs will engage the end bottles B. In the assembled carton, the two flaps 6| are connected together in such a manner that the two end webs 36 at each end of the carrier form a continuous retaining strap, and such connection as herein shown is afforded in each instance by a staple 63, Figs. 1 and 3.

Thus, by an arrangement of fold lines and slits as just described, the openings 35Al, 35A: and 35A3 of the bottle receiving section 22A are afforded. and the necessary webs 3S and 31 are defined, and by a similar arrangement of fold lines and slits, the corresponding webs and bottle receiving openings of the bottle receiving section 223 are provided, it being understood of course that the relationship of the fold lines and slits is reversed in the bottle receiving section 223.

When the bottle carrier 20 is in its erected condition, it is desirable that the weight of the bottles B loaded in the carrier be transmitted directly upwardly from the center portion of the bottom wall to the handle section 2|, 1hereby to relieve the webs 36 and 31 of substantially all weight supporting forces, and in attaining this result, it is also desirable that the handle section 2| be capable of depression from the elevated position of Fig. 6 to the depressed position of Fig. 7, thereby to enable the bottle carriers to be stacked one upon the other. This desirable weight supporting action, coupled with the depressibility of the handle section 2| is attained in the present carrier by means of the character disclosed in our aforesaid patent, and such means accomplish this end through the provision of lost-motion connections between the several bottle separating flaps 45 and means that are connected to the bottom wall of the carrier substantially along the central score line 30. Such lost-motion connections are afforded in the present instance by means that are cut from the bottom wall sections 24A and 14B. and this is accomplished in such a way that the bottom wall sections will retain adequate material and strength to enable them to properly support the weight of the bottles thereon. Thus as will be evident in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bottom wall section A has a pair of spaced connecting link members 65-! and 65-4 that are extended from the score line Bil toward the score line "A in alignment with the bottle separating flaps 45A! and A3. The bottom wall section B has a single connecting link 65-2 cut therefrom by appropriate slits so as to extend from the fold lime 80 toward the told line 2913 and in alignment with the two bottle separating flaps A2 and "B2.

When the bottle carrier of the present inventlon is in its assembled condition of Figs. 3 and 4, or when it is in its erected condition of Fig. 1, the connecting links 65-4, 65-2 and65-3 are disposed in an upstanding relationship in a plane parallel to and disposed between the planes of the several bottle spacing flaps 45, and a lostmotion connection is provided between each link 65 and the aligned flaps 45, as will be evident in Figs. 1, 3, 9 and 10. In order that such a 10stmotion connection may be afforded each of the connecting links 65 has an elongated slot 66 formed therein, and each slot terminates in an end wall 68 that is spaced from the ,free end of the link. Each link is disposed between the aligned pair at flaps 45, and thus for assembly purposes, the link 85-4 is disposed between the flaps 453i and "Al. Alter this relationship has been established, a weight transmitting connection such as a staple Ill is extended through the opposed flaps 45 in ireely through the slot 66 in the related link 55. The relationship of the upper end walls 68 and the location of the staples 1i] is such that when the handle section I! is pulled upwardly slightly beyond the position shown in Fig. 6, each staple 10 engages the end 68 of the related slot 88, and thus a weight transmitting connection is afiorded between the flaps l and the several connectin links 65. The weight of the bottles B is, oi course. carried by the bottom panels A and 24B, and in this connection it will be observed that the central bottle in one row spans the opening formed in the bottom panel B so as to rest on this panel on both sides 01 such opening, and a similar relationship is attained in respect to the such a position as to extend two end bottles that are rested on the panel A.

The weight of the bottles is transmitted to the connecting links 65 so as to be thereby trans-, mitted directly upwardly through the flaps l5 and the handle portion 2|, and as a result of this arrangement, the connecting webs 31 oi the bottle receiving sections sustain very little weight and serve primarily to space the bottles and retain the same in their upright positions. This of course enables the webs 31 as well as the webs It to be of a relatively light construction, and this advantage is reflected in the entire carrier inasmuch as it enables the carrier as a whole to be made from relatively light cardboard stock.

when the loaded carriers are to be stacked one upon the other, either in the cases in which they are shipped, or handle sections 2i may be readily moved downwardly so as to be located beneath or at the same level as the tops of the bottles, and in such movement the handle section II is shiited from the position of Fig. 6 to the position shown in as a. display in a retail store, the

Fig. 7. The fit of the bottles in the carrier is relatively snug, so that when the handle is depressed as aforesaid, the lower ends of the flaps 45 as well as the lower portions of the handle section will be frictlonally gripped between the bottles so as to hold the handle section against undesired upward displacement. It should be observed that the height of the handle section 2i is such that when it is in its upper position it may be grasped through the finger receivin opening, and the lower ends of the flaps 4! are so spaced trom the bottom wall that the handle section may be depressed to the protected position of Fig. '1. In the course of such a depressr ing movement of the handle section M, the flaps 45 are caused to move downwardly as will be best seen in Figs. 7 and 10 of the drawings, and in the course of such movement the staples Iii move downwardly through the slots 66 to substantially the positions shown in Figs. '7 and 10. When the bottle carriers are again to be lifted by means of the handles 2| thereof, each handle is grasped and pulled upwardly into and somewhat beyond the position shown in Fig. 6, and the staples 10 thereby move upwardly through the slots $6 and into engagement with the upper ends as of these slots. The desired weight transmitting relationship is thereby reestablished and the weight of the bottles is primarily supported upon the center portions of the bottom walls or panels 0! the carrier. It should be observed that the slots 88 terminute short of the fold line "I, and hence in the erected carrier the lower portions 01' the links 5 serve to space the lower edges of the bottles in one row from the lower edges of the bottles in the other row, and hence damage and wear to these lower edges is minimized.

It has been pointed out that the end webs 3B of the carrier of the present invention are formed without the necessity for reenforcing end flaps along the outer edges thereof, thereby to materially reduce the effective width of the blank from which the bottle carrier is made, and the webs 36 are so formed as to enable these webs to conform with the shape of the bottles and to move in a generally pivotal manner or with a twisting action as the bottles are loaded therein. Thus, as a bottle B is inserted downwardly into one oi the end openings, as Al, the bottle strikes the inner edge of the web It so that the web is in effect twisted to the relation shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6, '7, and 10. This twisting action bends the web 36 along the fold lines 58 and Gil so that the web 86 is in a substantially vertical position and conforms with the side 01' the bottle. Moreover, it should be observed that such twisting of the web 38 bends the same along the iold lines 59 and ill in such a manner that the paper stock or ilbnes remain undamaged. When the web 38 is thus positioned it holds the two end bottles B firmly in position, and the tabs formed by the joined flaps Bl extend into the space between the two end bottles to thereby accomplish a spacing or cushioning function.

The complete separation of the inner ends of the webs 36 from the handle section II is of particular advantage in the loading of the carrier, for as the first one of the end bottles is introduced downwardly into an end opening 35, the connected webs 36 give the efiect oi being relatively slack, thereby to facilitate quick loading without danger of injury to the carrier. Moreover. the twisting of the connected end webs that is thus accomplished in the loading of the first end bottle serves to condition the carrier for the loading of the adjacent end bottle, since the web 38 requires no further twisting in this second loading operation.

With the end webs 38 thus located in substantially vertical positions, it will be clear that when the handle section 2| is to be depressed, the webs 36 may pivot along the fold lines 59 and 60 in the event that the projecting flaps or tabs 6| are engaged by the shoulder 55' that is formed at each end edge of the handle section 2|, as shown in Fig. 1'. Thus when necessary the end webs 36 may have the necessary up and down movements to enable manipulation of the handle section 2| to be accomplished, and yet this movement and the requisite bending of the parts of the end webs 36 may take place without breaking of the fibres of the end webs. and hence these webs retain their strength and are effective to hold the end bottles in place.

In the lifting of a bottle carrier of the character to which this invention relates it will be recognized that a considerable downward pressure is exerted upon the fingersof the user, the finger receiving openings of the present carrier are constructed and arranged, as disclosed in our aforesaid patent, so that such forces are transmitted to the fingers of the user without undue strain or fatigue. Thus the end panel A has a generally rectangular opening 12 formed therein as will be evident in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and in substantial alignment with this opening 12 and in the handle section or panel 2 IB, a flap [3 is cut by appropriate slits so as to be connected to the panel IIB along a fold line I4 that will in the finished or erected carrier be aligned with the upper edge of the opening 12. The flap 13 also has a fold line formed therein parallel to and spaced a short distance from the fold line I4 so that when the flap I3 is forced through an opening 12, the portion of the flap between the fold. lines 14 and '5 will be disposed so as to form a; relatively wide area panel 16, which as shown in Fig. 8 is disposed in a substantially horizontal position. The ends of the flap I3 have relatively small ears 18 formed thereon which serve to latch the flap- 13 in its projecting relationship beyond the opening 12, as will be evident in Figs. 1 and 8. It should be observed in this connection that when the handle section is assembled the fold line 14 is disposed slightly above the level of the upper edge of the opening 12, so that when the flap I3 is forced through the opening 12, it will bear against the upper edge of the opening in such a manner as to hold the panel 16 in the desired downwardly facing relation. Thus this construction of the finger receiving opening of the present carton enables the carton to be conveniently and easily carried by the user.

In the assembly of the bottle carrier of the present invention, the blank is bent along the fold line 30 so that the faces of the bottom panels A and B that are to constitute the lower faces in the erected carrier are disposed in a face to face relationship, and in accomplishing such bending of the blank, the connecting links 65 are allowed to remain in the plane of the particular bottom section to which they are connected. In other words, these connecting links are not bent along the fold line 30, and hence when such folding operation has been completed, the connecting links 65 extend upwardly in substantially the relationship shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The opposite side portions of the carrier are then bent along the fold lines "A and 293 so as to assume the relationship shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings,

10 and as an incident to this folding operation the glue flap 25 is bent along the fold line 26 intoposition between the two panels HA and 21B. Suitable adhesive is applied to the glue flap 25 so as to secure the same to the opposed face of the handle section 2 IA and hence the carrier is maintained substantially in the folded relationship shown in Figs. 3 and 4. a

As will be evident in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the collapsed or folded blank as thus formed has the several bottle spacing flaps 45 disposed in pairs on opposite sides of the related supporting links 65, and at this stage in the assembly operation, the staples 10 are placed in position so as to connect the pairs of flaps 45 and extend through the slots 66 of the related connecting links 65, and the staples 63 are put in place to connect the flaps or tabs II of the adjacent pairs of end webs 86. The assembly of the carrier is thus comin Figs. 3 and 4. The carrier is of course shipped in this fiat or collapsed form and is erected to the form shown in Fig. 1 when the bottles are to be loaded into the carrier.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the present invention enables bottle carriers to be made in a simple and expeditious manner from cardboard or like material of a rela tively light weight, and the invention also enables such carriers, even though they are made from light weight stock, to support the weight of the bottles without imposing objectionable or breaking forces upon the thin webs that separate the bottles. The present invention enables bottle carriers to be made in such a size that the loaded carriers may be positioned within the cases usually utilized in handling or shipping such bottles, and this is attained in such a manner that a relatively narrow blank may be utilized. Thus the present invention enables bottle carriers to be made with the minimum of cardboard stock.

The construction of the end webs of the bottle receiving sections of the present carrier is particularly valuable in that the necessary strength is attained in these end webs in such a manner that these webs are capable of pivoting and bending movement in the loading and unloading as well as in the use of the carrier. The provision of end webs that are connected to each other at their adjacent ends but are not connected to the handle section at such ends serves to facilitate the loading of the carrier and avoid damage to such webs, and hence this increases the useful life of the carrier and enables it to be used many times for carrying full bottles as well as returning empty bottles.

Thus, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A pre-formed collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising a bottom wall, side walls, a handle portion, and bottle receiving sections extended between said side walls and said handle portions, each of said bottle receiving sections comprising a plurality of webs arranged at spaced intervals therein to afford bottle receiving openings in the sections between said webs, all of said webs having ends thereof connected to a side wall along score pleted, and the carrier assumes the form shown menace 11 lines, and those webs that are spaced from the ends of said carrier being connected to said handle section along score lines. the webs at the ends of said bottle receiving sections having the score lines along which they are connected to the side walls disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of such webs, and each of such end webs also having another score line formed adjacent to the fold line, that joins the end webs to the side wall and extending from the outer edge of saidweb inwardly at an angle to said last mentioned fold line and in diverging relation to each other, said end webs being severed from said handle section at the ends thereof that are spaced from said side walls to enable said end webs to tilt into vertical planes for bottle-retaining engagement with bottles disposed in the respective end bottle receiving openings. and means I ioining said last mentioned ends of said end webs together.

2. A pre-iormed collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising a bottom wall. side walls, a handle portion, and bottle receiving sections extended between said side walls and said handle portions. each of said bottle receiving sections comprising a plurality of webs arranged at spaced intervals therein to ailord bottle receiving openings in the sections between said webs. all of said webs having ends thereof connected to a side wall along score lines, and those webs that are spaced from the ends of said carrier being connected to said handle section along score lines, the webs at the ends of said bottle receiving sections having the score lines along which they are connected to the side walls disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of such webs, and each of such end webs also having another score line formed adjacent to the fold line that joins the end webs to the side wall and extending from the outer edge of said web inwardly at an angle to said last mentioned fold line and in diverging relation to each otherssaid end webs being severed from said handle section at the ends thereof that are spaced from said side walls to enable said end webs to tilt into vertical planes for bottle-retaining engagement with bottles disposed in the respective end bottle receiving openings, securing flaps formed on said last mentioned ends of said end webs, and means securing said securing flaps together.

3. A pro-formed collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising a bottom wall, side walls. a handle portion. and bottle receiving sections extended between said side walls and said handle portions, each of said bottle receiving sections comprising a plurality of webs arranged at spaced intervals therein to afford bottle receiving openings in the sections between said webs, all of 12 said webs having ends thereof connected to a side wall along score lines. and those webs that are spaced from the ends of said carrier being connected to said handle section along score lines, the webs at the ends of said bottle receiving sections having the score lines along which they are connected to the side walls disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of such webs. and

each oi. such end webs also having another score line formed adjacent to the fold line that joins the end webs to the side wall and extending from the outer edge of said web inwardly at an angle to said last mentioned told line and in diverg ing relation to each oth said end webs being severed from said handle section at the ends thereof that are spaced from said side walls, securing flaps cut in part from the material of said handle section and joined along fold lines tosaid last mentioned ends of said end webs. and means securing said securing flaps together.

4. A preformed collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising a bottom wall, side walls, a handle portion. and bottle receiving sections extended between said side walls and said handle portion. each of said bottle receiving sections comprising a plurality of webs arranged at spaced intervals therein to afford bottle receiving openings in the sections between said webs, all of said webs having ends thereof connected to a side wall along score lines, and those webs that are spaced from the ends of said carrier being connected to said handle section along score lines, the webs at the ends oisaid bottle receiving sections having a plurality of other score lines disposed adjacent to said side walls and formed at spaced points and transversely thereof to enable bending and lateral tilting .of' said webs with relation to said side walls, said end webs being severed from said handle section at the ends thereof that are spaced from said side walls, securing flaps cut in part from the material of said handle section and joined along fold lines to said last mentioned ends of said end webs, and means securing said securing ilaps together.

MAYNARD G. HALL, THOMAS HURBAN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,160,620 Myers May 30, 1939 2,331,137 Rous Oct. 5, 1943 2,352,123 Ringler June 20. 1944 2,373,851 Potter Apr. 17, 1945 2,435,178 Marshall Jan. 27, 1948 

